Velázquez, whose father worked the sugar cane fields, was one of nine siblings born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. During her upbringing, political dinner conversations were commonplace. Her father was a local political activist and she would accompany him to political rallies, starting at a young age. Her father focused on the rights of sugar cane workers and denounced the abuses of wealthy farmers.[1]

After skipping a grade, she entered high school when she was 13. While a student, she organized a protest to draw attention to the school's dangerous and unsanitary conditions. The protest resulted in the school temporarily closing down so that the necessary renovations could be made.

Throughout her career, Velázquez has been an advocate of many Latino rights programs and associations. During her tenure as the Director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs in the United States, Velázquez initiated one of the most successful Latino empowerment programs in the nation’s history - "Atrévete" (Dare to Go for It!). She taught Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College and became the first Latina woman to serve on the New York City Council.

In 1983, Velázquez was appointed Special Assistant to Representative Edolphus Towns (D-Brooklyn). In 1984, she became the first Latina appointed to serve as a member of the New York City Council. In 1986, she served as the Director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs of the U.S. During that time, she initiated a successful Latino empowerment program called "Atrévete"(dare to go for it).[1]

Velázquez has represented a progressive shift in the House. Although some thought that she would be facing a political decline due to factors such as "the redrawing of the district's boundaries in 1997 to include fewer Latinos, and the gradual decline of the Puerto Rican population in New York," she has persevered. As reasoning, commentators have suggested "her ability to forge alliances at home and in the House".[2]

Velázquez is an important national leader for Hispanics. In 2003, Hispanic Business Magazine honored her with its first "Woman of the Year" award, citing her support of minority small-business owners.[2] As a Representative, Velázquez has focused on building a legislative agenda that lobbies to increase the opportunities for the nation's 47 million Hispanics, including the over 2.3 million Hispanics currently residing in New York City.[3]

Throughout her career as a New York Representative, Nydia Velázquez has consistently and fully supported pro-choice and family-planning interests groups such as the NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Planned Parenthood. Velázquez has consistently shown support of the National Farmers' Union. She has shown no support of interests groups that are against animal rights and animal rightists.[4]

In 2009, Velázquez voted against the amendment Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services. In the past year, Velázquez has supported the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations, the Unemployment Benefits Association, and the Unemployment Benefits Extension. Velázquez has also consistently voted in favor of bills attempting to strengthen women's rights, such as the Employment Discrimination Law Amendments, Equal Pay Bill and the Inclusion of Consolidated Appropriations.[4]

Among her firsts are: the first Hispanic woman to serve on the New York City Council; the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress; the first woman Ranking Democratic Member of the House Small Business Committee. Velázquez became the first woman to chair the United States House Committee on Small Business in January 2007 as well as the first Hispanic woman to chair a House standing committee.[1]

While at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus event in December 2011, Velázquez told a Daily Caller report that she did not know what "Operation Fast and Furious" was. Fellow New York Democrat, Rep. José Enrique Serrano, also admitted to The Daily Caller that he was unaware of "Fast and Furious".[6]

During her campaign for the House seat, her medical records, including documented clinical depression and an attempted suicide, were leaked to the press. She quickly held a press conference and said that she had been undergoing counseling for years and was emotionally and psychologically healthy.[7]

Velázquez’s 2010 campaign income was $759,359. She came out of this campaign with about $7,736 in debt. Her top contributors include Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association, the National Roofing Contractors Association and the National Telephone Cooperative Association.[4]

Velázquez, who was redistricted into the 7th Congressional District, defeated her Democratic contenders to win the Democratic nomination.[8] Her top contributors included Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America.[9]

Velazquez has been criticized by her primary opponents Jeff Kurzon for her close ties to the banking industry and her reluctance to support reform and transparency measures. A majority of her campaign contributions have come from banks, including Goldman Sachs and the American Bankers Association.[9] Opponents have suggested that these contributions influenced her votes in support of the bailouts and her votes against reform and transparency measures.[10] In addition to support for private banks, Ms. Velazquez voted against bi-partisan House efforts to audit the federal reserve, both in 2009 and in 2012.[11]

In 2012, Congresswoman Velazquez was named by the American Small Business League (ASBL) as the most anti-small business member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The ASBL points to the fact that Rep. Velazquez blocked legislation, including H.R. 3184, “The Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act," that would prevent large corporations from claiming billions of dollars worth of federal contracts reserved for small businesses. ASBL claims that Velazquez also voted to divert billions in federal contract dollars earmarked for small businesses to firms such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, BlackWater and Italian defense firm Finmeccanica.[12]